Friday, 14 January 2011

You've all seen it but it doesn't hurt to watch it again. It is not an historically accurate recreation of British SYW infantry but more a stylised version - in fact they look more Marlburian than 1750s - maybe thats because David Chandler was involved in the production. The drums are great - proper rope tensioned ones - made by Potters who specialise in these things. Kubrick was a meticulous man but he seems to go for mood rather than detail. He originally wanted to make a film about Napoleon but 'Waterloo' didn't fair too well so it was abandoned in favour of this project. The scenes shot in Ireland were not without trouble as the IRA were in the ascendancy and they were not happy about the movie. Of course the uniforms were stored in David Chandler's garage afterwards which he used to good effect lending them out for displays and for the SK's Sedgemoor in 85. Cerainly Kubrock 'got' the 18thc and with the fine music and locations has the period been better captured on film?